Hopes high as US, Taliban reps meet today

KABUL (Pajhwok): A fresh round of negotiations between the United States and Taliban is being held in Doha today (Saturday).

The seventh round of talks is taking place amid hopes for progress on the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, a ceasefire and an intra-Afghan dialogue.

“Based on my recent visits to Afghanistan and Qatar, I believe all sides want rapid progress,” US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad tweeted.

Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban spokesman, told VOA the peace process was “progressing …steadily (and) gradually”. He believed the process could gain momentum, paving the way for the Afghans to sit together and chart a roadmap for a future Islamic system”.

In May, US and Taliban negotiators wrapped up the sixth round of talks in Doha, but failed to finalise the draft agreement, which will now be the main item on the agenda for the seventh round.

After the sixth round of talks, Khalilzad had said that merely holding meetings was not “sufficient when so much conflict rages and innocent people are dying”.